Ocean Ridge To Ask County For Beach Aid

OCEAN RIDGE — Town officials will apply for about $700,000 in aid from the county to pay for beach renourishment in three areas of the town.

Town commissioners Monday authorized Commissioner Eric Mangione to make application to county officials on behalf of the town.

Mangione said the town will apply for the money to renourish a 500-foot stretch of beach south of the Boynton Inlet park property; 300 feet north and south of the Boynton Beach Oceanfront Park; and a stretch between Corrine and Tropical drives.

Commissioners said the county may be agreeable to allocating the money because most of it will be protecting public property.

The first two areas for which money is being requested are in or around public parks, while strengthing the dunes in the third area would provide additional protection against the sea in that part of town.

``We already have ample public access in that area but it would have to be cleared and posted,`` Mangione said. ``It will also be for the protection of the town. The weaker the dunes, the more (potential storm) damage to the town.``

Mangione said the money may only be available if the town agrees to provide some matching funds.

The application will be made to county Parks and Recreation Department officials so it can be included in its budget proposal to the County Commission for the next fiscal year, Mangione said.

In other beach-related matters, the commission expressed opposition to a plan by the South Lake Worth Inlet District Commission to extend the south jetty at the inlet, and gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that would regulate the parking of boats on the beach.

Commissioner Vera Klein reported that at a recent meeting of the Inlet District Commission that panel indicated its interest in extending the south jetty at the inlet another 180 feet.

Town Commission members think the jettys at the inlet are already a significant cause of many of the town`s beach-erosion problems because, they say, the jetty blocks the natural flow of sand onto the beaches from the north.

Town Manager Lester Baird was asked to write a letter to the governor and to the Department of Natural Resources ``strongly opposing`` any extension of the jetty.

An ordinance that would allow boat owners to park on the beach vegetation for up to 72 hours during periods of severe weather was approved by the commission. Final approval is scheduled for the commission`s May meeting.

During normal weather, boats can be parked between the mean high water level and the vegetation line on the beach.

Town officials do not want boats parked on the vegetation because they feel the beach vegetation is damaged by the boats.

Boat owners who violate the ordinance can have their beach-parking permits revoked by the Town Commission.

The commission sent to the Planning and Zoning Board for review the question of how to determine whether places occupied by some short-term residents are commercial or residential.

The question was raised by representatives of Sundeck Apartments.

The apartment complex has some short-term tenants and representatives say the apartments should be considered a residential complex.

The town code requires that such units provide accommodations for no less than 30 days at a time to be considered residential properties. The code says that there can be no transient motels offering overnight accommodations in town.

Town officials said some tenants at the Sundeck Apartments stay more than one night but less than 30, and the commission is not sure whether such practice makes the complex a commercial or residential property.